Jay Parkhe

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed – and gazed – but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

via William Wordsworth Daffodils.

From Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography…

My intention being to acquire the habitude of all these virtues, I judged it would be well not to distract my attention by attempting the whole at once, but to fix it on one of them at a time; and, when I should be master of that, then to proceed to another, and so on, till I should have gone through the thirteen; and, as the previous acquisition of some might facilitate the acquisition of certain others, I arranged them with that view, as they stand [below].

TEMPERANCE

Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

SILENCE

Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid

trifling conversation.

ORDER

Let all your things have their places; let each part of

your business have its time.

RESOLUTION

Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without

fail what you resolve.

FRUGALITY

Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself;

i.e., waste nothing.

INDUSTRY

Lose no time; be always employed in something

useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

SINCERITY

Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; and,

if you speak, speak accordingly.

JUSTICE

Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits

that are your duty.

MODERATION

Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much

as you think they deserve.

CLEANLINESS

Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

TRANQUILITY

Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common

or unavoidable.

CHASTITY

Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to

dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s

peace or reputation.

HUMILITY

Imitate Jesus and Socrates

via Franklin’s 13 Virtues – Just Sell®… it’s all about sales®.

First ‘intelligent’ stamp put on sale by Royal Mail

The stamp launches online content when used in conjunction with a smartphone

The Royal Mail has launched the world’s first “intelligent” stamp, the first to work with image recognition technology.

The stamp, part of the Royal Mail’s latest Great British Railways edition, will launch online content via an iPhone or Android smartphone.

Users place the camera over the stamp, which then launches the online content.

The Royal Mail said intelligent stamps “mark the next step in the evolution of our stamps, bringing them firmly into the 21st Century.”

‘New world’

People can use the stamps via the Junaio application, which contains a Royal Mail channel which activates the phone’s camera.

The application is available in the iTunes store and Android Market free of charge.

The Royal Mail’s Philip Parker said: “This is the first time a national postal service has used this kind of technology on their stamps and we’re very excited to be bringing intelligent stamps to the nation’s post.

“Royal Mail’s special stamps mark key events and anniversaries in the UK’s heritage through a programme which aims to be both educational and informative.

“Through Intelligent Stamp technology, our stamps will open up to a whole new world of information, interest and fun to collectors and the millions of people who will receive them on letters in the coming months alike.”

The technology will also be made available on selected future special stamps.

via BBC News – First ‘intelligent’ stamp put on sale by Royal Mail.

This could easily be established through the minutes or agenda of board meetings, he added.

Irani, however, noted that if a CEO of a company and the CFO got together, it was not possible for an independent director to unearth any discrepancies on his own.

Irani’s comments come a day after a Standing Committee tabled a report in Parliament that suggested capping the number of listed companies an individual can be a part of to five — and 10 in case of unlisted companies — under the Companies Bill, which is expected to come up for discussion in the Winter Session of Parliament.

Independent directors are appointed to company boards to ensure fair play in corporate affairs, as they do not have a vested interest in the company.

However, the multi-crore accounting scam that came to light in Satyam Computer last year exposed their role as mere figureheads and raised questions about their functioning.

Irani said that personally, he refused to pass any items during board meetings that were added at the last minute. “Independent directors must be given a chance to examine them,” he said.

Furthermore, independent directors who were not comfortable with the company’s management of governance and working always had the option to resign, he said.

Coming down heavily on harassment of independent directors for acts they were not aware of or for individual errors down the corporate line, he cited an example of director being harassed after a junior officer of company issued a cheque that had bounced. “Such harassment is not warranted,” he said.

Speaking at the conference, United Breweries Group President and CFO Ravi Negungadi said that 80 per cent of Indian businesses were family-owned or public sector entities. Hence, most family businesses found it difficult to introduce independent directors with whom they had a comfort zone and could reveal all confidential matters.

Independent directors, Negungadi argued, should have an equal footing with executive board members and should ensure that governance was in place. There should be a broad approach to independent directors rather than holding them liable for some rather simple detractions, he avowed.

According to Nawshir Mirza, a professional independent director, independent directors should not just restrict themselves to maximising shareholders’ value, but also ensure a broader responsibility to society.

He said the corporate world should step out of its agenda of growing its own profits and look at the picture of wider social responsibility in terms of contributing to minimise the consequences of climate change. Just focusing on growth when the spectre of destruction hovered around was not desirable, he said.

Hitting out at corporates for promoting consumerism that impacted the environment for hedonistic gains, he said corporate governance should be taken out of the ambit of just shareholders deciding on governance and extended to those who were affected by corporate behaviour in general.

Former Chief Justice of India M N Venkatchaliah said though there have been corporates that indulged in large-scale financial irregularities, the government should ensure that the laws brought in are not an “overkill”.

Extreme measures could actually hinder those who loyally followed the law. There were better methods of assisting corporate governance and corporate honesty, he said.

Some amount of policing was required, he said, but asserted that it should not result in panic, but healthy fear of law.

via Independent directors’ quality matters the most: Irani.

She quit Rs 60-lakh job to become an entrepreneur: Rediff Getahead.

People in management often fail to realize the ripple effects of their actions and attitudes. Thankfully, many are eager to learn how to be better when given the chance, but other managers couldnt care less about any damage they cause. They remain intentionally ignorant, blaming others when things go wrong and looking for ways to climb away from any trouble they cause.

via So youre a manager. Now what?.

Here, then, are the six keys to achieving excellence we’ve found are most effective for our clients:

Pursue what you love. Passion is an incredible motivator. It fuels focus, resilience, and perseverance.

Do the hardest work first. We all move instinctively toward pleasure and away from pain. Most great performers, Ericsson and others have found, delay gratification and take on the difficult work of practice in the mornings, before they do anything else. That’s when most of us have the most energy and the fewest distractions.

Practice intensely, without interruption for short periods of no longer than 90 minutes and then take a break. Ninety minutes appears to be the maximum amount of time that we can bring the highest level of focus to any given activity. The evidence is equally strong that great performers practice no more than 4 ½ hours a day.

Seek expert feedback, in intermittent doses. The simpler and more precise the feedback, the more equipped you are to make adjustments. Too much feedback, too continuously, however, can create cognitive overload, increase anxiety, and interfere with learning.

Take regular renewal breaks. Relaxing after intense effort not only provides an opportunity to rejuvenate, but also to metabolize and embed learning. It’s also during rest that the right hemisphere becomes more dominant, which can lead to creative breakthroughs.

Ritualize practice. Will and discipline are wildly overrated. As the researcher Roy Baumeister has found, none of us have very much of it. The best way to insure you’ll take on difficult tasks is to ritualize them — build specific, inviolable times at which you do them, so that over time you do them without having to squander energy thinking about them.

via Six Keys to Being Excellent at Anything – Tony Schwartz – The Conversation – Harvard Business Review.

How do you give effective feedback?

AUGUST 21, 2010

in HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Six specific suggestions can help you become more effective in providing feedback. We summarize in the Exhibit below:

Suggestions for Effective feedback

1) Focus on specific behavior

2) Keep feedback impersonal

3) Keep feedback goal oriented

4) Make feedback well timed

5) Ensure understanding

6) Direct negative feedback toward behavior that the receiver can control.

Focus on specific behaviors: Feedback should be specific rather than general. Avoid statements such as you have a bad attitude or I’m really impressed with the good job you did. They are vague and although they provide information they do not tell the receiver enough so that he or she can correct he bad attitude or on what behaviors to repeat.

Keep feedback impersonal: Feedback particularly the negative kind should be descriptive rather than judgmental or evaluation. No matter how upset you are: keep the feedback focused on job related behaviors and never criticize someone personally because of an inappropriate action. Telling people they are incompetent lazy or the like is almost always counterproductive. It provokes such an emotional reaction that the performance deviation itself is apt to be overlooked. When you are criticizing remember that you are censuring job related behavior, not the person. You might be tempted to tell someone he or she is rude and insensitive (which might just be true) however that is hardly impersonal. It’s better to say something more specific such as you’ve interrupted me three times with questions that weren’t urgent when you knew I was talking long distance to a customer in Brazil.

Keep feedback goal oriented: Feedback should not be given primarily to dump or unload on another person. If you have to say something negative make sure it is directed toward the receiver’s goals. Ask yourself whom the feedback is supposed to help. If the answer is essentially you (I’ve got something I just want to get off my chest) bite your tongue and hold the comment. Such feedback undermines your credibility and lessens the meaning and influence of future feedback sessions.

Make feedback well timed: Feedback is most meaningful to a receiver when only a short interval elapses between his or her behavior and the receipt of feedback about that behavior. For example a new employee who makes a mistake is more likely to respond to his or her manager’s suggestions for improving right after the mistake or at the end of the work day rather than during a performance review session six months from now. If you have to spend time recreating a situation and refreshing someone’s memory of it, the feedback you are providing is likely to be ineffective. Moreover, if you are particularly concerned with changing behavior, delays in providing timely feedback on the undesirable actions lessen the likelihood that the feedback will be about the desired change. Of course making feedback prompt merely for promptness sake can backfire if you have insufficient information or if you are upset. In such instances, well timed could mean somewhat delayed.

Ensure understanding: Is your feedback concise and complete enough that the receiver clearly and fully understands your communication. Remember that every successful communication requires both transference and understanding of meaning. If feedback is to be effective, you need to ensure that the receiver understands it. As suggested in our discussion of listening techniques ask the receiver to rephrase the message to find out whether he or she fully captured the meaning you intended.

Direct negative feedback toward behavior that the receiver can control: little value comes from reminding a person of some shortcoming over which he or she has no control. Negative feedback should be directed toward behavior that the receiver can do something about. For instance criticizing an employee who’s late for work because she forget to set her alarm clock is valid. Criticizing her for being late for work when the local train she takes to work every day had a power failure, stranding her for 90 minutes, is pointless. She was powerless to do anything to correct what happened — short of finding a different means of traveling to work, which may be unrealistic In addition when negative feedback is given concerning something that the receiver can control it might be a good idea to indicate specifically what can be done to improve the situation. Such suggestions take some of the sting out of the criticism and offer guidance to receivers who understand the problem but don’t know how to resolve it.

via How do you give effective feedback?.

Convention for those wounded in love (ENG, PORT ESPA)

Published on August 21, 2010 in Stories. 235 Comments

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______________

PORTUGUES: Convenção dos feridos por amor

ESPANOL: Convención de los heridos de amor

_______________

General provisions:

A – Whereas the saying “all is fair in love and war” is absolutely correct;

B – Whereas for war we have the Geneva Convention, approved on 22 August 1864, which provides for those wounded in the battle field, but until now no convention has been signed concerning those wounded in love, who are far greater in number;

It is hereby decreed that:

Article 1 – All lovers, of any sex, are alerted that love, besides being a blessing, is also something extremely dangerous, unpredictable and capable of causing serious damage. Consequently, anyone planning to love should be aware that they are exposing their body and soul to various types of wounds, and that they shall not be able to blame their partner at any moment, since the risk is the same for both.

Article 2 – Once struck by a stray arrow fired from Cupid’s bow, they should immediately ask the archer to shoot the same arrow in the opposite direction, so as not to be afflicted by the wound known as “unrequited love”. Should Cupid refuse to perform such a gesture, the Convention now being promulgated demands that the wounded partner remove the arrow from his/her heart and throw it in the garbage. In order to guarantee this, those concerned should avoid telephone calls, messages over the Internet, sending flowers that are always returned, or each and every means of seduction, since these may yield results in the short run but always end up wrong after a while. The Convention decrees that the wounded person should immediately seek the company of other people and try to control the obsessive thought: “this person is worth fighting for”.

Article 3 – If the wound is caused by third parties, in other words if the loved one has become interested in someone not in the script previously drafted, vengeance is expressly forbidden. In this case, it is allowed to use tears until the eyes dry up, to punch walls or pillows, to insult the ex-partner in conversations with friends, to allege his/her complete lack of taste, but without offending their honor. The Convention determines that the rule contained in Article 2 be applied: seek the company of other persons, preferably in places different from those frequented by the other party.

Article 4 – In the case of light wounds, herein classified as small treacheries, fulminating passions that are short-lived, passing sexual disinterest, the medicine called Pardon should be applied generously and quickly. Once this medicine has been applied, one should never reconsider one’s decision, not even once, and the theme must be completely forgotten and never used as an argument in a fight or in a moment of hatred.

Article 5 – In all definitive wounds, also known as “breaking up”, the only medicine capable of having an effect is called Time. It is no use seeking consolation from fortune-tellers (who always say that the lost lover will return), romantic books (which always have a happy ending), soap-operas on the television or other such things. One should suffer intensely, completely avoiding drugs, tranquilizers and praying to saints. Alcohol is only tolerated if kept to a maximum of two glasses of wine a day.

Final determination:

Those wounded in love, unlike those wounded in armed conflict, are neither victims nor torturers. They chose something that is part of life, and so they have to accept both the agony and the ecstasy of their choice.

And those who have never been wounded in love will never be able to say: “I have lived”. Because they haven’t.

(Free to share. Just mention the author, please!)

.

via Convention for those wounded in love (ENG, PORT ESPA) « Paulo Coelho’s Blog.

e have been let down. Yesterday it was BRAI bill today it’s the nuclear liability bill. The Standing Committee looking at the nuclear liability bill submitted its report in the Parliament^[1]. The Cabinet meets today, the bill gets tabled next week and the BJP is now in support.

The Committee has accepted some of the changes suggested by Greenpeace, but has ignored unlimited liability. In its current form the bill limits the liability for operator of the nuclear facility and if the impacts of a nuclear accident cross it, then the Indian tax payers will be footing the bill.

Nuclear is risky and the Government should exercise highest caution. The Prime Minister, keen on clearing this bill, needs to know that we want unlimited liability.

Can you write to PM Manmohan Singh asking him to incorporate unlimited liability in the bill?

http://www.greenpeace.org/india/unlimited-liability

There is very little time to change this clause. A lot of people writing to the PM will make him notice what we want.

Even after the Bhopal fiasco the Government and the main opposition party, have not realised the importance of unlimited liability. Even the current law in the country is for unlimited liability. This bill is making an exception.

Earlier the Standing Committee accepted the following changes proposed by Greenpeace: The victim’s right to re-course, increase in the duration of the right to claim damages and economic channelling, allowing law suits against suppliers. We can try and do the same this time as well.

Show your support for unlimited liability. Write to the PM now.

http://www.greenpeace.org/india/unlimited-liability

Thanks a billion!

Karuna Raina
Nuclear Campaigner
Greenpeace India

Bridgestone.

Alone
Edgar Allan Poe

From childhood’s hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
Then – in my childhood, in the dawn
Of a most stormy life – was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still:
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that round me rolled
In its autumn tint of gold,
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed me flying by,
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view.
Did you like this poem? Why not

AVOID ACCIDENTSAUGUST 2, 2010

The problem of road fatalities is now considered to be a serious global phenomenon with governments and authorities in virtually all countries showing concern over the growing number of road injuries and accidents. The World Bank estimates the number of road accidents around the world to rise to about 20 Lakh per year by 2020.

Sadly, road accidents are a routine occurrence on Indian roads. Thousands of people are losing their lives on city roads every day and the twisted metal of smashed cars and motorbikes is a strong testament to this. Everyday families are losing loved ones to something that seems to never be overcome by time and tide. The fact that these deaths could be prevented with better road safety and improved driving adds to the pain and suffering of these families.

India’s Road Death Toll

In India, according to the World Bank reports, about 1 Lakh people were killed in road accidents in the year 2007 and among these about forty youngsters died every day. The toll is not just on life but also on the country’s economy. The World Bank report estimates that road accidents cost India about 3% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Road accidents place a tremendous expense on health care services, costs of providing rehabilitation, value of lost household services, lost earnings of victims, and lost income of survivors in the respective families. These costs directly impact the country’s economy by burdening the financial resources of the country.

Road fatalities are considered a serious public health issue and are gradually overtaking deadly diseases like tuberculosis and AIDS. Due to the widespread impact, the issue of road accidents has been termed a global epidemic.

Causes of Road Accidents

Various factors contribute to the increasing number of car accidents and road fatalities. Some of the notable ones are as follows:

Increasing number of vehicles: As the Indian economy is rapidly expanding, the roads continuously see a large number of new cars, bikes, buses, and trucks. The sales of passenger vehicles in India are projected at 20 Lakh units by 2010 and that of commercial vehicles at 10 Lakh units. The ever increasing vehicles plough through the same narrow and congested city roads.

Creaking infrastructure: Poorly maintained Indian roads with abundant potholes, bumps, and cracks easily qualify as biggest contributors to increasing road deaths. Thankfully, the Indian Government has already taken note of this and has planned a huge investment for road development over the next five years.

Untrained drivers: Safe driving requires a high level of concentration, perception, judgement, and understanding. If a driver is well aware of road conditions, driving patterns, and technologies outfitted in vehicles, the chances of accidents are considerably reduced.

Cars lacking key safety features: Though all car manufacturers provide well test safety features on their cars, most models in the cheaper car segments lack essential active and safety features due to the cost factor. Base variants of car models rarely come equipped with essential features such as ABS and Airbags that have time and again proven their usefulness in saving lives and minimizing damage.

Ignorance towards road safety: A quick look at past road accidents reveals a pattern where several accidents have similar or same contributing factors. The repetition of mistakes only shows that no lessons have been learnt from the past. Many drivers are either ignorant about the common causes of road accidents or choose to ignore them for some reason. To overcome this, car manufacturers across the world have designed cars with more advanced car safety technologies but Indian car buyers still consider low costing fuel-efficient vehicles.

via Avoid Accidents | Safety Blog.

India: Road Death Capital of the World

Submitted by Radha Neelakantan on June 11, 20107 Comments

Cars, buses, motorbikes and rickshaws compete for space in Pune, India. Photo by Deadly Tedly.

Every year, more people die from road traffic injuries in India than anywhere else in the world, and the toll shows no signs of abating, according to a recent New York Times article. In 2008, more than 118,000 people were killed on the roads, an increase of 40% from the previous year. Vulnerable road users – pedestrians and cyclists – are particularly at risk.

India’s roads are notoriously congested, with cars competing for space with buses, motorcyles, bicycles, auto-rickshaws, pedestrians and the occasional cow. Enforcement of traffic laws is lax, and car ownership is booming thanks to the introduction of sub-$2,500 cars such as the Tata Nano, with others in the pipeline . The government is on a road-building spree as part of the National Highways Development Project, as road infrastructure is fast becoming a bottleneck to economic growth. However, without concerted government effort to improve safety, India’s infrastructure development will come at the expense of its citizens’ lives.

The public health community has begun focusing more attention on the problem of road safety. Late last year, Bloomberg Philanthropies launched the Road Safety in 10 Countries (RS10) project , providing $125 million to six organizations (including EMBARQ, the producer of this blog) to improve road safety in the 10 middle- and low-income countries that account for almost half of road traffic injuries worldwide. Speaking at the recent launch of the Regional Road Safety Report for the Americas at the Pan American Health Organization, Dr. Adnan Hyder of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health pointed out that “road safety interventions are among the most cost-effective public health measures” that can be undertaken. Some simple road safety interventions that can significantly reduce road traffic injuries include better lighting on roads and crosswalks, barriers between vehicles and pedestrians, and enforcing the use of helmets and seatbelts.

In urban areas, investing in mass transit can improve public health by reducing the number of cars on the road, improving air quality and encouraging people to walk or ride bicycles. Nancy Kete, former director of EMBARQ , explains that “[t]hese solutions not only provide safer streets, but they also lead to cleaner air, reduced carbon emissions, more physically active citizens, and greater social inclusion.”

As India continues to invest in transportation infrastructure to fuel its economic growth, the government needs to ensure that roads are designed to provide safe mobility for all its citizens. As Dr. Etienne Krug of the World Health Organization points out in the New York Times article, road safety “requires political commitment of the highest level.” India’s government has acknowledged road safety as a major priority and has introduced legislation to create a national road safety board, encouraging first steps.

via India: Road Death Capital of the World | TheCityFix.com.

Photos of driving in India | Road Safety.co.za Blog to facilitate Discussion and Advice on Road Safety.

Road Safety Talks: India Road Traffic Signs Jokes.

Beauty of mathematics
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Next

A foreign cargo ship, which collided with another vessel about 10 km off Mumbai harbour, tilted further spilling oil for the third day as Navy and Coast Guard made hectic efforts to contain the leak.

“MSC Chitra has tilted 80 degrees and the total oil spill is nearly 50 tons, Arun Singh, Commandant (Operations), Coast Guard told PTI.

He said so far, 300 containers carrying oil have tumbled into the water.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan undertook an aerial survey of the oil spill on Monday.

A worried Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said, ”This is a serious issue. The Coast Guard and the defence people are looking into it. We have already filed cases against the captains of the two ships which are from abroad.”

“I would say the state and the Union government is doing its best. Definitely it is a matter of concern and we have advised the people in that area not to go in for fishing because fishes and the marine life in that area is bound to be affected by this oil slick. We are trying to contain it as far as possible,” he added.

via Oil spill touches Mumbai-Raigarh coast, CM worried: Rediff.com News.

Bangalore traffic – Solution.

You have to be going to a pretty awful place when getting there is half the fun.

If you want to understand politics, you have to read between the lies

Whoever said talk is cheap hasn’t seen my phone bill.

Strategy Definition & Fundamentals

Plus Origin of the Word

Strategy is the mean by which objectives are consciously and systematically pursued and obtained over time.

The word “strategy” derives from the Greek word stratçgos; which derives from two words: -

“stratos” – meaning army.

“ago” – which is the ancient Greek for leading/guiding/moving.

In its military aspect, the term had to do with stratagems by which a general sought to defeat an enemy, with plans he made for a campaign, and with the way, he moved and disposed his forces in war.

The strategy definition most commonly known today is as the art of analysing, projecting and directing campaigns.

Strategy is not planning. Strategy deals with competitive situation in an uncontrolled environment.

Planning deals with situations in a controlled environment.

Strategy is the greatest “winning tool” that man ever invented!

It enables the practitioners to see clearly the future of any encounter they undertake – Whilst reacting rationally and consciously without the need for intuition or guesswork.

It is the Art of the “Conscious Mind”; the Art of the General in the battlefield; therefore, it is:

“A style of thinking; a conscious and deliberate process; an intensive implementation system; the art of ensuring future success.”

When you know “what strategy is”, have learnt and practiced, you develop the strategist’s mind. “The Thinking General” has trained himself to think several moves ahead of his opponents.

Strategy is the art of success in utilisation of the mind; for the last 2500 years, it has been the preserve knowledge of the ruling classes in politics and business throughout the world.

Strategy, “the thinking of the General” is the Forbidden and Secret Art of Success for thousands of years!

“All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.”

via Strategy Definition & Fundamentals Plus Origin of the Word.

Definition
Approach to future that involves (1) examination of the current and anticipated factors associated with customers and competitors (external environment) and the firm itself (internal environment), (2) envisioning a new or effective role for the firm in a creative manner, and (3) aligning policies, practices, and resources to realize that vision.

1. Alternative chosen to make happen a desired future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem.

2. Art and science of planning and marshalling resources for their most efficient and effective use. The term is derived from the Greek word for generalship or leading an army.

Washington:People who have something to do, even if pointless, are happier than those who sit idle, say researchers.

The study was conducted by Christopher K. Hsee and Adelle X. Yang of the University of Chicago and Liangyan Wang of the Shanghai Jiaotong University.

“The general phenomenon I’m interested in is why people are so busy doing what they are doing in modern society,” says Hsee.

Sure, there are reasons, like making a living, earning money, accruing fame, helping others, and so on, reported the Psychological Science journal.

But, Hsee says, “I think there’s something deeper: We have excessive energy and we want to avoid idleness.”

For the study, volunteers completed a survey, then had to wait 15 minutes before the next survey would be ready.

They could drop off the completed survey at a nearby location and wait out the remaining time or drop it off at a location, where walking back and forth would keep them busy for the 15 minutes.

Either way, they would receive a candy when they handed in their survey. Volunteers who chose to stay busy by going to the faraway locations were found to be happier than those who chose to be idle.

via Keep yourself busy to stay happy – SiliconIndia.

Border Crossing Gives Visitors Quite a Kick – WSJ.com.

How to Avoid Prying Eyes on the Internet – WSJ.com.

The Big Idea: No, Management Is Not a Profession – Harvard Business Review.

Indian-origin man becomes road safety envoy – Hindustan Times.

Jay parkhe presents.

Thought for the Day: An Old Mans Saga – ClearysNoteBook.

Trans-Siberian train, 2006

_________________________________

PORTUGUES: >>>>AQUI

ESPANOL : >>>>>AQUI

FRANÇAIS: >>>>ICI

_________________________________

1. Avoid museums. This might seem to be absurd advice, but let’s just think about it a little: if you are in a foreign city, isn’t it far more interesting to go in search of the present than of the past? It’s just that people feel obliged to go to museums because they learned as children that travelling was about seeking out that kind of culture. Obviously museums are important, but they require time and objectivity – you need to know what you want to see there, otherwise you will leave with a sense of having seen a few really fundamental things, except that you can’t remember what they were.

2. Hang out in bars. Bars are the places where life in the city reveals itself, not in museums. By bars I don’t mean nightclubs, but the places where ordinary people go, have a drink, ponder the weather, and are always ready for a chat. Buy a newspaper and enjoy the ebb and flow of people. If someone strikes up a conversation, however silly, join in: you cannot judge the beauty of a particular path just by looking at the gate.

3. Be open. The best tour guide is someone who lives in the place, knows everything about it, is proud of his or her city, but does not work for an agency. Go out into the street, choose the person you want to talk to, and ask them something (Where is the cathedral? Where is the post office?). If nothing comes of it, try someone else – I guarantee that at the end of the day you will have found yourself an excellent companion.

4. Try to travel alone or – if you are married – with your spouse. It will be harder work, no one will be there taking care of you, but only in this way can you truly leave your own country behind. Travelling with a group is a way of being in a foreign country while speaking your mother tongue, doing whatever the leader of the flock tells you to do, and taking more interest in group gossip than in the place you are visiting.

5. Don’t compare. Don’t compare anything – prices, standards of hygiene, quality of life, means of transport, nothing! You are not travelling in order to prove that you have a better life than other people – your aim is to find out how other people live, what they can teach you, how they deal with reality and with the extraordinary.

6. Understand that everyone understands you. Even if you don’t speak the language, don’t be afraid: I’ve been in lots of places where I could not communicate with words at all, and I always found support, guidance, useful advice, and even girlfriends. Some people think that if they travel alone, they will set off down the street and be lost forever. Just make sure you have the hotel card in your pocket and – if the worst comes to the worst – flag down a taxi and show the card to the driver.

7. Don’t buy too much. Spend your money on things you won’t need to carry: tickets to a good play, restaurants, trips. Nowadays, with the global economy and the Internet, you can buy anything you want without having to pay excess baggage.

8. Don’t try to see the world in a month. It is far better to stay in a city for four or five days than to visit five cities in a week. A city is like a capricious woman (or a capricious man, if you are a woman): she/he takes time to be seduced and to reveal him/herself completely.

9. A journey is an adventure. Henry Miller used to say that it is far more important to discover a church that no one else has ever heard of than to go to Rome and feel obliged to visit the Sistine Chapel with two hundred thousand other tourists bellowing in your ear. By all means go to the Sistine Chapel, but wander the streets too, explore alleyways, experience the freedom of looking for something – quite what you don’t know – but which, if you find it, will – you can be sure – change your life.

As an old hippie, I know what I’m talking about…

The text was taken from my book “Like a flowing river”

Happy Birthday Madiba! (PORT, ENG)

via Paulo Coelho’s Blog.

India unveils prototype of $35 tablet computer.

Funny One Liners (funnyoneliners) on Twitter.

They have been credited with supernatural or paranormal properties since the days of ancient Egypt. Now the putative power of pyramids is to be harnessed by Indian police to cut road accidents. Traffic officers in Nagpur, 540 miles 870 kilometres west of Mumbai, have agreed to allow small pyramids to be placed at 10 accident-prone sites in the city to see if their claimed positive energy can reduce crashes. Deputy Commissioner of Police Traffic Sahebrao Patil said the road safety initiative came about after a meeting with an expert in Vastu, an ancient Hindu system of construction which is similar to Chinese Feng Shui. “He told me that he had placed a number of pyramids on roads outside the city and the results were excellent. The number of accidents reduced. He wanted to do it in the city, so I said, OK, no problem,” Patil told AFP. “Hes going to be installing them in 10 spots. They wont be on the road directly but at the corner of chowks squares or near traffic signals so they wont obstruct traffic.” Vastu expert Sushil Fatehpuria, who offered his services free of charge, said that each 30 centimetre one foot tall pyramid will have a copper bottom and five smaller pyramids inside. “I think the accidents are caused by negative energies. So we need to minimise or convert the negative energy into positive ones,” he said. “I will energise the pyramids. I will transfer my positive thoughts into the pyramids.” Patil said his officers own, more human, efforts to cut the number of road accidents would continue during the experiment. “We will see in six months. If it gets positive results then thats excellent,” he added. A combination of an increase in drivers, many of them untrained, poor road planning and lax law enforcement have made Indias roads the most dangerous in the world. More than 114,000 people die each year, according to the World Bank.

via Indian police look to pyramid power to cut road accidents – Free Online Library.

Rabindranath Tagore

Published on July 15, 2010 in News. 44 Comments  Print

Einstein and Tagore, 14 July 1930, exactly 80 years ago!

Spiritual life is the emancipation of consciousness. Through it we find immediate response of soul everywhere. Before we attain this life, we see men through the medium of self-interest, prejudice or classification, because of the perpetual remoteness around us which we cannot cross over. When the veil is removed, we not only see the fleeting forms of the world, but come close to its eternal being, which is ineffable beauty.

Some seek for the evidence of spiritual truth in the outside world. In this quest one may stumble upon ghosts or some super-sensual phenomenon of nature, but these do not lead us to spiritual truth, as new words in a dictionary do not give us literature.

So busy used I to be under the belief that I was indispensable, that I hardly dared to wink.

My doctor now and again would warn me, saying: “Stop, take it easy.”

But I would reply: “How will things go on if I stop?”

Just then my health failed me, the wheels of my car broke down and it came to a stop beneath this window. From here I looked out upon the limitless space. There I saw whirling the numberless flashing wheels of the triumphal chariot of time,–no dust raised, no din, not even a scratch left on the roadway. On a sudden I came to myself. I clearly perceived that things could get along without me. There was no sign that those wheels would stop, or drag the least bit, for lack of anyone in particular.

But is this to be admitted so easily as all that! Even if I admit it in words, my mind refuses assent. If it be really quite the same whether I go or stay, how then did my pride of self find a place in the universe, even for a moment? On what could it have taken its stand? Amidst all the plentifulness with which space and time are teeming, it was nevertheless not possible to leave out this self of mine. The fact that I am indispensable is proved by the fact that I am.

THE question is: “In which Truth is my entity to realise its fullest value,–in Power or in Love?” If we accept Power as that truth we must also recognize conflict as inevitable and eternal.

Thought Relics by Rabindranath Tagore

via Paulo Coelho’s Blog.

20 SEC READ: The pencil ( ENG, PORT, ESP)

Published on July 14, 2010 in News. 111 Comments

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point he asked:

‘Are you writing a story about what we’ve done? Is it a story about me?’

His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson:

I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I’m using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.’

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn’t seem very special.

‘But it’s just like any other pencil I’ve ever seen!’

‘That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you manage to hang on them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.’

‘First quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us according to His will.’

‘Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpner. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he’s much sharper. So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.

‘Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.’

‘Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.’

‘Finally, the pencil’s fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. in just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action’

source: “Like the Flowing River” by Paulo Coelho

via 20 SEC READ: The pencil ( ENG, PORT, ESP) « Paulo Coelho’s Blog.

Dead Poets Society quotes … Movie Quotes Database.

Princeton University – 2010 Baccalaureate remarks.

DailyGood: The Compliment Guys.

Road Rash word really is something hurts us a lot. Bikes and Sports Car user thinks if they just want to fly and forget others. Teenagers are the main reason for Road rash and I think instead of blaming teenagers their parents should be thrown inside jail with lakhs of rupee fine, then parents will be alert enough and they will make their children understand that how to drive and when they become mature enough, then only they should be given keys of vehicles.

We can find traffic police and their pick up truck – which take the vehicles on board due to illegal parking, just are not so good with their performance. They just know how to take advantage and get money from drivers and they just help the rich and local language known people to just leave with warning and people who are not local nor did rich have pay heavy price. It is shame on them, who complete their work by giving and taking bribe.

INDIA is emerging power, World says it is going to be next super power. What if INDIA doesn’t look this problem – mainly the road transport and their people using the roads?

Even the bad roads are also plays an important role in preventing accident. Most of the roads do have damaged holes and no one take pain to repair the roads. Government of INDIA repairs when the elections are approaching or any VIPs coming to visit a particular area. People should choose their representative who can solve all sorts of problems.

In India thousands of people die due to road accidents and we have no answer to cut the casualties.  We should have such government who feels and take care of the people and try their best of best to help them. Roads should be neat and clean and shouldn’t have any holes. Road rash such as driving recklessly should be curbed and corruption should be nullified.

INDIA has all the technology and manpower but due to ill factors like corruption everything is turning into bad.

Common wake up INDIA before it is too late. We can and we will make the life better for ourselves…

via Road Rash in INDIA – Who is to blame for casualties.

Health concerns

A study by Dr Ruth McNerney of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and colleagues, concluded that the spread of diseases by means of vuvuzelas was possible.[35] Mcnerney found tiny droplets at the bottom of a vuvuzela which can carry flu and cold germs that are small enough to stay suspended in the air for hours, and can enter into the airways of a person’s lungs. The vuvuzelas can infect others on a greater scale than coughing or shouting.

The vuvuzelas have the potential to cause noise-induced hearing loss.[3][4][6][35] Prof James Hall III, Dr Dirk Koekemoer, De Wet Swanepoel and colleagues at the University of Pretoria found that the vuvuzelas can have negative effects on people’s eardrums when exposed to the high-intensity sound for a certain amount of time. The vuvuzelas produce an average sound pressure of 113 dB(A) at 2 metres (6.6 ft) from the horn opening.[4] The study finds that subjects should not be exposed to more than 15 minutes per day at an intensity of 100 dB(A).[4] The study assumes that if a single vuvuzela emits a sound that is dangerously loud to subjects within a 2 metre radius, and numerous vuvuzelas are typically blown together for the duration of a match, it may put spectators at a significant risk of hearing loss.[4] A newer model has a modified mouthpiece that reduces the volume by 20 dB.[36]

Noise levels and bans

via Vuvuzela – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

For Whatever It’s Worth.

RoadSafe News – June 2010
News for over six thousand professionals. In this issue…

Alcohol and drugs
Driving at work
International news
Motorcycle safety
Safer roads
Safer vehicles
Speed management
UK news
Young drivers

——————————————————————————–

Alcohol and drugs
Bid to cut drink-drive limit by almost half
The Daily Telegraph (4 June) . In his report to The Secretary of State, Sir Peter North has recommended that the drink-drive limit should fall from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg.

The report also suggests that Sir Peter has urged ministers to consider an even lower limit for novice drivers of 20mg for the first five years after passing their test, but that this be delayed until five years after the introduction of the 50mg limit for all drivers. Other reported proposals include random breath testing, giving the police the right to stop motorists at any time, and lifetime bans for high risk offenders. A “drug driving” law could create an offence of getting behind the wheel with an illegal substance in the bloodstream at levels that could be deemed impairing.

——————————————————————————–

Driving at work
Major leasing company ALD Automotive joins the Driving for Better Business campaign.
By achieving a crash reduction of almost a third, ALD Automotive, one of the UK’s leading contract hire and leasing companies, has become the 47th organisation to become a Driving for Better Business champion.

The company, which manages a UK-wide fleet of over 52,000 company cars and vans, has done this by implementing a wide range of comprehensive safe driving policies.

Crucially, ALD Automotive, which has operations in Bristol, Northampton and Milton Keynes, has used its internal experience to create a menu-driven suite of risk management services that enables customers to implement similar best practice at-work driving safety solutions.

ALD Automotive managing director Keith Allen said, “Proactive management of work-related road risk is a key element of risk mitigation with regard to corporate manslaughter and the effective delivery of our duty of care to both our employees and others affected by our work activities.

“The promotion of a safe driving culture has long been valued within ALD Automotive and is a principle we promote both internally and externally. Becoming a business champion for Driving for Better Business is another opportunity for us to promote this message to a wider audience but also to learn from others who are innovative in this area and to continually improve our knowledge and processes in this arena.”

Campaign director Caroline Scurr said, “Businesses that rely on the expertise of contract hire and leasing companies for fleet advice expect them to already be at the forefront of best practice.

“Given ALD Automotive’s standing as one of the UK’s largest providers of company cars and vans we are delighted that the company is promoting a zero-harm attitude to at-work driving both internally and externally.”

Through a comprehensive safe driving policy that includes online driver risk assessments, driving licence checks, a ban on mobile phone use, driver health assessments, monitoring of employee accidents with post-crash interviews carried out, targeted individual guidance and driver training, ALD Automotive has significantly reduced its incident rate.

Mr Allen said, “Our objective is to reduce to a minimum, damage, injury or ill health that our employees and others might suffer whilst driving on work-related journeys. We aim to achieve this through a structured programme of risk assessment as well as ongoing awareness and training.

“Irrespective of blame, most road accidents are preventable and all risks can be contained. Consequently, we operate a policy of zero accident involvement. As a vehicle user drivers are not only responsible for their own safety, but are also responsible for the safety of others who may be affected by their actions. Therefore employees are required to operate their vehicle, at all times, in a manner that is safe, responsible and without accident.”

In the last five years, the company’s accident rate has been cut from 64% to 39% and is largely composed of parking and manoeuvring incidents.

Mr Allen said, “In 2009 whilst 40% of our accidents were identified as at fault accidents, over 50% of these were minor parking and manoeuvring accidents. So whilst we have seen an overall reduction in our company accident rate, clearly we have further work to do to improve on this.

“But the policy we have adopted provides assurance that our monitoring and reporting systems are effective and are making a difference to our work-related road risk, especially when benchmarked across UK business in general.”

To help customers implement at-work driving safety measures, ALD Automotive offers DriveSafe Solutions – a comprehensive suite of services designed to establish a lasting risk reduction programme for all employees who drive on business. It includes licence checks, driver profiling, safety workshops, driver training, vehicle maintenance, accident management, journey profiling, grey fleet management, tyre safety and insurance checks.

Mr Allen concluded, “As a result of our experience both internally and through the provision of DriveSafe to our customers we are acutely aware of the ever present dangers involved in work-related driving. We must be vigilant and rigorous in our application of our occupational road risk policy and this must be continually updated in line with new research and legislation”.

European Transport Ministers Discuss Road Safety at Work
Transport Ministers meeting in Brussels last week discussed work related road safety at their Council Meeting.

As well as declaring work related road safety a priority for action at a national level, Spain has made it one of the priorities of its Presidency of the EU and will include this issue as an Any Other Business point at the Transport Council.

It is estimated that in the EU-15, 39% of fatal work accidents are road traffic accidents.

The recent European Transport Safety Council press release on the growing importance of work-related road safety in the EU can be read here.

From Interactive Driving Systems.

Road safety at work highlighted in Spain
Caroline Scurr, Driving for Better Business Campaign Director, presented at the recent PRAISE seminar in Spain held on the 14th June in Barcelona. This event provided an opportunity to discuss the work-related road safety situation in Spain and a number of other European Countries and examined existing and possible future initiatives from governments and employers to secure better road safety standards at work. It was organised in cooperation with the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) of the Spanish Ministry of Interior and the Fundación MAPFRE…

IAM Drive & Survive tells employees to gear up for tougher roads
The driving test is 75 years old and that anniversary has prompted

IAM Drive & Survive

to call for employers to help their drivers to continually improve their technique in keeping with increasingly demanding driving conditions.

Simon Elstow, head of training at IAM Drive & Survive which is a

Driving for Better Business

campaign partner, said, “There are more cars on the road than ever before, and the driving environment is becoming more complicated. Our culture has become increasingly fast paced, everything is done on the move.

“Although cars are becoming easier to drive – with much improved brakes and suspension as well as power steering and a host of safety systems – traffic has significantly increased and traffic networks have become immensely more complex, so the business driver needs far more understanding of what’s going on outside the car.”

IAM wants to see a rural road element being incorporated into the driving test, as it is not currently compulsory. In the UK 71% of road deaths occur on rural roads.

“It is improving the driver which will make the single biggest improvement to road safety in the future, and drivers need to take it upon themselves to adopt a lifelong learning approach,” added Mr Elstow.

In 1935 when the driving test was introduced there were only 1.4 million cars on the road – today there are more than 28.3 million. But, within a year of the test being introduced the death toll had fallen by nearly 1,000 people.

The year before the test was introduced, 7,343 people were killed on Britain’s roads when there were just 2.4m vehicles. In 2008 there were two-thirds fewer deaths (2,538), but 34m vehicles.

Northgate Vehicle Hire receives International Health & Safety Award
Driving for Better Business championNorthgate Vehicle Hire, has gained another prestigious international safety award, inrecognition for its exceptional health and safety standards.

The company was recently awarded an Occupational Health & Safety Gold Award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and has now gained the International Safety Award from the British Safety Council. This is the second consecutive year that Northgate Vehicle Hire has won both awards.

The company operates a fleet of over 60,000 vehicles from more than 60 locations throughout the UK and Ireland. Northgate offer commercial vehicles for hire, fleet management, vehicle monitoring and other associated services.

Julie Nerney, British Safety Council chief executive said, “I congratulate Northgate Vehicle Hire for their award, which shows a clear commitment to health and safety best practice and is helping to make our vision of a healthy and safe working environment a reality.”

Colin Gilstin, the Group’s Safety & Environment Manager commented: “The health and well-being of our employees is a primary focus for Northgate Vehicle Hire. We feel that winning this prestigious award for a second successive year confirms Northgate’s commitment to achieving and promoting safety within our work places.”

Northgate’s aim is to lead the field where safety is concerned. Dedication to meeting this aim also assists its customers to meet their own duty of care obligations within their businesses’.

Northgate has now trained more than 700 of its employees to the British Safety Council Level 1 standard in Health and Safety at Work. This year the company’s senior managers are undertaking the 3 day level 2 training course in Supervising Staff Safely. Northgate Health & Safety team are accredited BSC course providers and carry out the training courses in-house. This ensures consistent standard levels whilst improving knowledge and culture within the company.

The British Safety Council leads the way in promoting health, safety and environmental best practice. This international Award recognises and acknowledges that organisations and their employees have achieved health, safety and environmental excellence.

For more information on the Northgate Vehicle Hire please visit their website.

New calls on businesses to tighten grey fleet policies
What do a Ferrari 360 Spider, a 1983 Citroen 2CV, an Austin 7, a Jungheinrich forklift truck and a quad bike have in common?

Surprisingly they are all real examples of grey fleet vehicles, according to leading UK fleet and fuel management company Arval, which is calling on organisations to take tighter control of the key area of at-work driving operations.

Arval is a Driving for Better Business champion. Its director of market insight, Mike Waters, said, “Many organisations are placing a strong focus on their environmental policies but if they don’t know what vehicles their employees are driving and claiming business mileage on, they could be ignoring a large area of inefficiency.

“This list of vehicles may sound far-fetched but we‘re certainly not kidding. Someone within an organisation had actually claimed for 900 business miles on a quad bike.”

While such vehicles are extreme examples of those owned by employers and driven on business, Arval is warning that unless companies have control measures in place, their grey fleet could be costing them from an environmental and a health and safety point of view.

Arval recommends the first move an organisation should make is to try to take steps to understand the scale of the problem, then to look at the most effective alternatives based on the mileage, number and frequency of journeys involved. This might involve pool cars, daily rental or a fully expensed company car, all options that can be effectively managed.

If use of a grey fleet vehicle is unavoidable then Arval recommends putting clear controls in place about what vehicles are allowed to be used. For example, a company can set limits based on CO2 emissions and European New Car Assessment crash test safety ratings.

Northgate Vehicle Hire aims to make drivers safer
Northgate Vehicle Hire, teamed up with Brake, the national road safety charity, to raise the importance of safe and economical driving.

On the UK roads, eight people are killed every day and over seventy are seriously injured. Road crashes that involve drivers at work are estimated at 200 deaths or serious injuries a week. These crashes involve drivers using cars, vans and trucks.

With the aim of reducing the number of crashes, Northgate is distributing a free Driver Safety Guide to help drivers be safer on the roads.

The guide provides guidance and legislative information on road safety whilst also offering drivers and companies an optional self assessment. The guide will include issues such as drink and drug driving, driver tiredness, vehicle maintenance, speeding, reversing and driving whilst using a mobile phone.

Colin Gilstin Health & Safety Manager at Northgate Vehicle Hire said, “As a vehicle hire company, road safety is very important to us. Helping drivers to be more aware about the problems in preparation for and whilst driving, will hopefully decrease the number of crashes and deaths on our roads.”

Katie Shephard, spokesperson for Brake, says: “Shockingly, one in three crashes involves a vehicle being driven for work. Through the Driver Safety Guide, Northgate is raising awareness about vital issues that will help keep drivers safe and Brake applauds Northgate’s ongoing commitment to road safety.”

Approximately 18% of all deaths on the road involved drivers who were over the legal alcohol limit.

For more information, download the free guide here.

Gear up for tougher roads IAM Drive & Survive tells employees
The driving test is 75 years old. Its anniversary has prompted IAM Drive & Survive to engourage employers to help their drivers continually improve their technique in keeping with increasingly demanding driving conditions.

Simon Elstow, head of training at IAM Drive & Survive, a Driving for Better Business campaign partner, said, “There are more cars on the road than ever before, and the driving environment is becoming more complicated. Our culture has become increasingly fast paced, everything is done on the move.

“Business drivers tend to travel many miles, often while tired and stressed, with the regular distraction of the ‘mobile office’. Our driving tests, however, have changed little over the years, and an improvement in driving standards is needed to fill the gap.

“Although cars are becoming easier to drive – with much improved brakes and suspension as well as power steering and a host of safety systems – traffic has significantly increased and traffic networks have become immensely more complex, so the business driver needs far more understanding of what’s going on outside the car.”

IAM wants to see a rural road element being incorporated into the driving test, as it is not currently compulsory. In the UK 71% of road deaths occur on rural roads.

“It is improving the driver which will make the single biggest improvement to road safety in the future, and drivers need to take it upon themselves to adopt a lifelong learning approach,” added Mr Elstow.

In 1935 when the driving test was introduced there were only 1.4 million cars on the road – today there are more than 28.3 million. But, within a year of the test being introduced the death toll had fallen by nearly 1,000 people.

The year before the test was introduced, 7,343 people were killed on Britain’s roads when there were just 2.4m vehicles. In 2008 there were two-thirds fewer deaths (2,538), but 34m vehicles.

ACFO launches driving licence checking guide
The first in a series of ‘how to’ best practice guides designed to influence public and private sector fleet policies and procedures has been launched by ACFO, the UK’s premier organisation for fleet decision-makers.

Former Transport Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman has championed the first guide, ‘ACFO Best Practice Guide to Employee Driving Document Checking’, after he uncovered significant weaknesses in driving licence checking within government departments.

The guide outlines

Driving licence checking procedure and best practice frequency
The key information employers should look for on UK licences and those held by foreign nationals to ensure validity
Who should carry out the checks
The guide concludes: “Driving licence checking is a vital component in compiling an adequate risk assessment of each employee and, indeed, the whole organisation in terms of at-work driving.

ACFO chairman Julie Jenner said, “We believe the guide provides extremely valuable guidance not only for ACFO members to check that they are following our best practice recommendations, but also for the fleet community at large to adopt.”

Dr Ladyman, who was a Transport Minister from 2005 to 2007 said,
“In my view government departments need to set an example to all employers and from my questions it is clear that some of them fall well short of an acceptable standard. I want to see all of them agree to adopt the ACFO guidance and lead the way by taking driving safety seriously.”

All ACFO members will receive the guide and it will be used as part of a member recruitment drive. After a period, it will also be available to the wider fleet community via the ACFO website.

Driving for Better Business – Kier Islington joins campaign.
Kier Islington has joined the government at-work driving safety campaign. The company has reduced the number of crashes in its fleet by almost a third in 12 months. It has done this by employing a range of safe driving initiatives and educating its drivers.

These improvements in fleet management have resulted in significant financial savings. Read their case study.

RoadSafe runs the Driving for Better Business Campaign , and Kier Islington is the 46th organisation to become a business champion. It is the second Kier Group business to achieve the status following Kier Harlow’s sucess earlier this year.

Kier Islington operates a 172-strong light commercial vehicle fleet and two company cars with 26 employees driving their own vehicles on business trips.

Now reaping the rewards of introducing safety initiatives across its own fleet, the company is encouraging its approved list of 120 subcontractors and supply chain partners to adopt a similar approach to occupational road risk management.

Kier Islington regional director Rob Leitch has board level responsibility for work-related road safety. He said, “Kier Islington is a division of Kier Building Maintenance London and we are very proud to have achieved the status of business champion.

“As a proactive organisation, we continue to strive for best practice as well as increasing road safety awareness for both our members of staff and the public. This award also confirms our national commitment to the reduction of carbon emissions as well as reinforcing both our health and safety and environmental polices.”

In 2008, Kier Islington’s fleet had 48 incidents. On the basis that every recorded road accident costs the company a minimum of £250, the total bill for the year was £12000. After improving safety measures in the fleet management policy, the number of incidents fell to 34 in 2009, bringing the cost down to £8500. (The majority of incidents do not involve third party claims and are largely low speed maneuvering incidents.)

Kier Islington transport manager Jonathan Amechi said, “Through general health and safety initiatives, safe systems of work, Kier-led work related road safety campaigns and increased driver education, we have been able to reduce vehicle accidents by raising awareness of the importance of road safety. Driving safely and considerate use of our vehicles is now central to who we are and what we do.

“The volume of work we undertake combined with the geographical spread and the density of our locality means that driving and road-safety related risks must be very carefully managed. The company sees road safety as key to general health and safety due to the risks associated with our work on and around the area’s roads, pavements and housing estates.

“Work-related road safety is a high priority due both to our interaction with the public and the number of road incidents compared to other incidents at work. Furthermore, improving road safety is also key to our public perception in the borough and improving our image in the community.”

Caroline Scurr, Director of the Driving for Better Business campaign, said, “Kier Islington, like its sister company Kier Harlow, has not only introduced a first-class safe driving at work strategy, but is taking the message to its sub-contractors, which will result in more employers implementing similar initiatives.

“This is exactly what the campaign is about: business champions such as Kier Islington and Kier Harlow using their knowledge and expertise to help other organisations reduce their at-work driving risk exposure.”

Safety failings cost businesses hundreds of thousands of pounds
Cutting costs is often a priority for fleet decision makers, but new analysis by Fleet Support Group shows how some businesses are losing hundreds of thousands of pounds by not managing occupational road safety.

Introducing a comprehensive road risk management strategy for those who drive for work is one of the most effective money saving measures for private and public sector organisations, according to the analysis.

Speaking at the company’s RiskMaster User Group conference FSG chairman Geoffrey Bray said, “Occupational road safety really should be a no-brainer for all employers.”

The FSG is a Driving for Better Business partner. RoadSafe runs the government backed campaign, and has calculated that savings of at least 30% from reductions in road crash rates can accrue if companies implement a range of best practice recommendations.

Campaign director Caroline Scurr said, “Reducing the number of crashes involving at work drivers is proven to save thousands and, in the case of large fleets, millions of pounds. In addition, cutting the carnage improves business efficiency and the image of an organisation.”

Arval helping businesses on the road to safety.
Leading fleet and fuel management company host hard hitting and free road safety event.

As a third of all road deaths result from business–related journeys, leading fleet and fuel management company Arval, a Driving for Better Business champion , is taking its highly successful road safety event on the road this summer. Businesses of all sizes are set to benefit from expert advice and information delivered in a hard hitting format, covering many aspects of road safety such as driver education, cost management and businesses’ legal obligations.

The free event is open to all businesses regardless of size, and takes place on Wednesday July 7th at Peugeot Motor Company, Pinley House, 2 Sunbeam Way, Coventry commencing at 9.30am until 1.30pm.

It is designed to improve business understanding of road safety measures, so through education and practical programmes, such shocking figures can start to be tackled. The morning’s programme will cover:

The risks to a company by not having a work related road safety policy
The benefits of investing in road safety for a business
How to address and implement a road safety policy
How road safety organisations and emergency services can help businesses
Individual moral responsibilities on the road
Tracey Scarr, Arval’s Fleet & Road Safety Manager says: “Arval has invested heavily in road safety programmes to mitigate the road risks that our company car drivers, our other employees and our customers face. The road safety seminars form part of this program which has allowed us to win a number of prestigious safety training awards.”

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International news
Road deaths fall to record low
The number of people killed on the roads in the 52 countries belonging to the International Transport Forum (ITF), excluding India, has fallen to below 150,000 for the first time.

According to data released by the Paris-based organisation, which is part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and a strategic think tank for the transport sector, road fatalities recorded the biggest decrease since 1990 with a drop of 8.9% in 2008 compared to 2007.

Preliminary data for 2009 shows a continuing significant reduction in the number of road deaths for most ITF member countries, recording a drop of almost 10%.

“The moderating effects of the economic crisis on road traffic appear to be one reason for this favourable trend”, said Jack Short, ITF secretary general. “But many governments can also take credit for road safety policies that are now starting to produce results.”

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Motorcycle safety
Motorcycle test and training review
Roadsafe welcomes the recent announcement that there is to be a review of the UK motorcycle testing and training regime. The two-part motorcycle test was introduced in April 2009 to meet the requirements of the second EU Directive on driving licences.

The Minister ordered the review after listening to concerns from motorcycle groups and visiting a test centre to look at the testing procedure in more detail. Ways to improve training will also be considered.

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Safer roads
TISPOL International Road Safety Conference 2010
This year the TISPOL International Road Safety Conference 2010 will take place on the 28th & 29th September 2010 at the Radisson Blu Hotel at Manchester Airport.

At this conference the current thinking and developments in road safety and enforcement from across Europe and Australia will be discussed.

There will also be a selection of road safety and enforcement exhibitors displaying their products and willing to offer advice and assistance in relation to their potential solutions.

TISPOL’s aim is to reduce the number of people being killed and seriously injured on the roads of Europe and to achieve this goal TISPOL will continue to work with partners and key stakeholders.

Working together and partnership activities are themes of this year’s conference.

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Safer vehicles
‘New EyeSight’ safety device
Subaru has completed development of its ‘New EyeSight’ driving assist system – a unique active safety device that uses camera technology to help drivers avoid collisions – which is to be progressively rolled out across its model range. This is one of a range of eSafety vehicle technologies that can assist the driver in case of an emergency situation by providing vital information and warnings to help avoid the situation occurring in the first place.

Using two forward-facing cameras mounted either side of the rear-view mirror, ‘New EyeSight’ incorporates a ‘pre-collision braking control’ feature, which sounds an alarm to warn the driver of a potential collision with a vehicle in front.

If the speed difference between the driver’s vehicle and that in front is below 30 km/h, and if there is no action taken by the driver, the system will also automatically slow or stop the car in order to avoid a collision or minimise damage.

Euro NCAP launches new muliti-lingual website.
Safety information is provided for millions more.

Euro NCAP is reaching out to a wider range of consumers by launching its website www.euroncap.com for the first time in two new languages: Dutch and French. Euro NCAP intends to release further languages Catalan, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish and the Swedish in the following months.

There are over 500 million consumers in the 27 European Member States. There are 20 official languages as well as 60 other indigenous and non-indigenous languages spoken over the European geographical area.

According to a recent Eurobarometer poll carried out in 29 countries, only 51% of Europeans speak English either as their mother tongue or as a foreign language and a further 44% of Europeans admit not knowing any other language than their own. Given that the website was only available in English, up until now a large part of the European population has had no acess to Euro NCAP’s safety information on their website.

Over the next couple of months, this is all set to change. Euro NCAP has released information for the first time on its website in Dutch and French, languages that will make access easier for some 90 million people in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. These two new languages will be closely followed by Catalan, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish and Swedish.

This first round of languages has been chosen due to the large car markets and significant car buying public in these countries. Moreover Euro NCAP members have also supported the launch of languages directed at their own consumers.

Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of Euro NCAP says “This is one more step in Euro NCAP’s long-term objective to provide information on the safety performance of today’s cars to every consumer in Europe. Information is power and this power will ensure consumers can protect themselves when they drive.”

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Speed management
20 MPH Zones to be Re-considered
The Sunday Times, 25 July reports that ministers are proposing a 20mph speed limit on urban roads to reduce deaths and reclaim the streets for cyclists and pedestrians.

The reduction from 30mph would apply to all town centre and residential streets except busy through roads, which will remain at the existing limit. It would be reinforced by signs rather than extra speed cameras and humps.

Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat transport minister, said it was time to tackle the car’s century-long dominance in towns.

The new 20mph limit, which can be introduced under existing laws, has been tested in Portsmouth, Edinburgh, Newcastle upon Tyne and Hull. York, Norwich and eight London boroughs, including Islington, have announced plans to follow suit.

It suggests that ministers are likely to base any national scheme on Portsmouth, which began its trial in March 2008 without extra traffic-calming measures or speed cameras. Despite the lack of enforcement, a preliminary Department for Transport study indicated that casualties fell by 15%, although the authors said the results were too early to be statistically significant.

A separate study of 20mph zones in the capital by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that they reduced casualties by more than 40%.

The report indicates that proposals will be laid out in a strategy document on sustainable transport in urban areas, to be put to public consultation.

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UK news
Saving lives for less is achievable
The latest survey from the Road Safety Foundation, shows that savings in the cost of road crashes, worth £18bn a year (1.5 % of GDP), are readily achievable. The survey covers 28,000 miles, making it largest analysis of its kind in the world. It identifies the high-risk roads, where road trauma and high costs are concentrated.

Key findings:

The roads that are 10 times more prone to death and serious injury than others in the UK network.
One-third of all fatal and serious collisions occur at junctions.
Single carriageways are six times the risk of motorways and twice that of dual carriageways.
One in seven primary roads is high risk compared to one in 33 non-primary.
10% of Britain’s motorways and A roads have unacceptably high risk.
Consultation with road authorities shows that simple, relatively inexpensive engineering measures are paying dividends. On the top ten roads listed, improvements to signing and markings, resurfacing (particularly the use of high-friction anti-skid treatments), and the layout and signing of junctions have contributed to a reduction in fatal and serious injuries of more than 70%.

Commenting on the report’s findings, Dr Joanne Hill, director of the Road Safety Foundation says, “As the road budget becomes tighter, emphasis must be on saving lives with less. This year’s report shows that not only can Britain reduce roads deaths and serious injuries but that, by targeting a relatively small mileage of high risk roads, we can do so with good economic returns”.

RoadSafe supports the Campaign for Safe Road Design led by The Road Safety Foundation.

Consumers can help reduce road deaths
Technology must be used to continue the decline in casualties on Britain’s roads, says RoadSafe.

Director, Adrian Walsh, says, “The Department of Transport’s announcement of a 12% decline in deaths is good news. It shows all the hard work is paying off.

“But there is still a need to focus on road safety and the benefits that technology can afford, particularly for consumers.”

RoadSafe believes improved electronic safety technology, found in newer vehicles, has helped reduce the severity of crashes. However, there is evidence to suggest the majority of car owners are unaware of the latest systems.

This evidence raises concerns that consumers may not be prepared to make informed choices about safety when buying a new or second hand vehicle.

ESC is one example. It helps stop a vehicle skidding and has been on the market for more than 10 years.

Research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, shows it can reduce collisions by more than 40%, but eSafety Aware has found less than 40% of the UK’s car buying population is aware of it.

The motor industry has led the way in developing ESC. It is now available in almost half of all new vehicles and, following legislation, it will be mandatory in all new vehicles by 2014.

Adrian Walsh continues, “The market is led by consumers. Uptake of this technology is welcome but it has been slow.

“The public must be better informed of other eSafety technologies, so they can demand them when buying a vehicle.”

RoadSafe is supporting the promotion of eSafety technologies at the eSafety Challenge 2010. The event will be held at Millbrook on 13 July 2010.

The number of deaths on Britain’s roads in decline
The wider road safety community and the public should take credit for the 12% drop road deaths announced today. Figures for the number of people killed in road accidents reported to the police in 2009, published today, reveal that the number of deaths on Britain’s roads fell from 2,538 in 2008 to 2,222.

Newer and safer cars with more crash mitigation technology including improved air bags and seat restraints have helped to achieve a 16% reduction since 2008 in the number of drivers and passengers killed; however over half the total number of casualties were car occupants – just over 140,000 . The fitment of eSafety systems is certain to have contributed to the overall reduction in crashes. Systems such as ESC can reduce colissions by some 40%. UK Department for Transport research conducted by Loughborough University in 2007 shows that if all UK cars were fitted with ESC this alone would reduce deaths by 380 each year.

RoadSafe believes that even with advanced vehicle technology deployed in the future, the importance of sound driver training and most importantly life-long learning remains a vital element of any road safety plan. We also believe that those who drive for work (representing some 30% of all drivers involved in crashes) benefit from good management as shown by the champions of The Driving for Better Business campaign.

Commenting on the good news, Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSPA and RoadSafe advisory panel member said, “Overall, the figures are good news. The reduction in deaths represents another very large fall on top of that achieved in 2008. In two years, we have seen a fall in road deaths of more than 700. It is particularly good that child deaths are now lower than 100, although this is clearly still too many.

The challenge now is to keep this momentum going and continue the reduction in death and injury on the roads in the current economic climate.”

How often do you check your tyres?
12% of UK drivers have never checked their tyres for tread depth!

Tyres are arguably the most important safety component on a car and yet 1 in 5 drivers have admitted that they have only occasionally checked the tread depth of the tyres on their car – 12% of drivers have never ever checked the tread depth! The research was carried out by fast.MAP for the online tyre retailer mytyres.co.uk.

UK law requires that tyres must have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread on all running tyres and motorists face a £2,500 fine and 3 penalty points on their licence if they break the law. The possibility of an accident, particularly in the wet, is also increased if the tread depth falls below the legal minimum.

On the positive side, the research did indicate that 20% of drivers had checked the tread depth of their tyres within the previous week. A number of simple checks recommended by mytyres.co.uk could mean the difference between a safe journey and a potential skidding accident on a wet road.

mytyres.co.uk offers the following five point tyre safety check:

Check and adjust tyre pressures against the recommendation in the owner’s handbook
Clean dirt from around valves and fit valve caps all round
Ensure that tyres have at least 2.5 or 3mm of tyre tread. Remember the law requires a minimum 1.6mm of tread
Have steering alignment checked if the front tyres show signs of excessive or uneven wear
Have front wheels and tyres balanced if there are signs of vibration, wheel wobble or patchy tyre wear

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Young drivers
Independent driving: the facts
Independent driving will become part of the practical driving test in Great Britain in October 2010.

It’s tasking the candidate to drive for about 10 minutes, either following a series of directions, following traffic signs, or a combination of both.

To help the candidate be clear about where they’re going, the examiner can show them a diagram too.

It doesn’t matter if candidates don’t remember every direction, or if they go the wrong way – that can happen to the most experienced drivers.

Newspaper reports

The claim in some newspapers that independent driving would lead to a fall in the driving test pass rate is based on early research where conditions did not reflect the eventual design of the new element of the test.

Subsequent trials with a larger number of participants and more closely reflecting the conditions in the planned new test showed no significant fall in the pass rate.

DSA has published a short video on its YouTube channel explaining more about independent driving.

Further information

General Management Articles, Books, Cases, Online Course Materials – Harvard Business for Educators.

The Telegraph – Calcutta (Kolkata) | Opinion | Have a safe journey!.

Free infographics software Download – infographics software Files.

Where do you fall on the hipster fashion cycle?

When does the trucker cap become ironic? Was Global Hypercolor ever mainstream? Will American Apparel gold leggings ever be conservative?

Posted by Olivia Solon at 11:34:57 in Right Brain: creativity, innovation, ideas, Spreadable

via Cream :: Blog.

Novel Writing Tips & Fundamentals – Storyfix.com.

TNT has announced that it will put 12 new Scania R-series trucks on Southeast Asian roads in 2010. The move is part of a new €4.5 million investment to expand capacity on its Asia Road Network, which covers 127 cities in six countries, from Singapore to China.

TNT also said that it saw volumes increase 70% year-on-year in January on the 7,650 km long network. Shipments include a growing proportion of high value electronic and healthcare products. TNT’s Asia Road Network was established in 2005, as a ‘middle-choice’ between air and sea transport.

via TNT invests in Asian Road Network | LogisticsWeek.

Resilience – a review of the current state of corporate leadership, flexibility and strategic foresight (8th International Executive Panel)

The recent financial and economic crisis has meant testing times for the resilience and flexibility of many companies. The most crucial corporate attribute in such times is the ability to bounce back, while at the same time learning from experience so as to be better prepared the next time around. In April 2010, Egon Zehnder International surveyed 836 top managers from across the globe, asking how they experienced the crisis. The findings paint a sober picture.

This was the eighth time that Egon Zehnder International had staged an online survey to question top leaders about current issues in corporate management. With the International Executive Panel, Egon Zehnder International has created an instrument that provides us with insights into the spectrum of opinions held by leading corporate decision-makers around the world. The high-caliber panel includes representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises as well as major corporate groups.

via Resilience – a review of the current state of corporate leadership, flexibility and strategic foresight (8th International Executive Panel) – Egon Zehnder International.

Never forget the Emergency!: Rediff.com India News.

« If you wish to be successful, study success. If you wish to be happy, study happiness. If you want to make money, study the acquisition of wealth. Those who achieve these things don’t do it by accident. It’s a matter of studying first and practicing second. »
Jim Rohn

10 Ways In Which Kokan (Konkan) Has Changed Over The Past Two Decades « Amit Paranjape’s Blog.

Safer roads is top priority:

Why Indira Gandhi withdrew the Emergency: Rediff.com India News.

Save the turtles.

Nearly 50 percent of the world’s hungry live in India, a low-income, food-deficit country.

Around 35 percent of India’s population – 350 million – are considered food-insecure, consuming less than 80 percent of minimum energy requirements.

Nutritional and health indicators are extremely low. Nearly nine out of 10 pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years suffer from malnutrition and anaemia.

Anaemia in pregnant women causes 20 percent of infant mortality. More than half of the children under five are moderately or severely malnourished, or suffer from stunting.

Summary:

Nearly 50 percent of the world’s hungry live in India, a low-income, food-deficit country.

via Country Overview – India | WFP | United Nations World Food Programme – Fighting Hunger Worldwide.

The objectives of WFP’s Country Programme in India are to:

Combat malnutrition and invest in human resources;

Help improve immediate food security for selected target groups;

Maximize the active participation of women in projects;

Advocate joint forest management;

Help strengthen distribution channels for locally-produced food grains;

Increase agricultural production and create employment.

Specific beneficiaries include poor women (especially mothers), at-risk children, and poor forest-dependent populations.

via WFP Activities – India | WFP | United Nations World Food Programme – Fighting Hunger Worldwide.

Sachin the gentleman, now an IAF officer – News – Cricket Next.

Govt to finalise Road Safety Action Plan soon » Indian Road Traffic News: Latest Road Safety Information and Tips.

Amethi, not UP, has been Rahul’s focus so far: Rediff.com India News.

Leave the city of comfort n go into wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover’ll be wonderful. You’ll discover yourself. Alan Alda

http://parkhe.typepad.com/jay/2010/06/leave-the-city-of-comfort-n-go-into-wilderness-of-your-intuition-what-youll-discoverll-be-wonderful-youll-discover-yourself.html

Important Safety Features of a Car | India News, India Travel,India Sports, Bollywood Gossip, Life Style, Technology All In One Blog.

My Stats – IndiRank, Alexa, Pagerank, Feed info, Posting Frequency and helpful tips.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY? : What is CSR?.

• What’s Wrong with Corporate Social Responsibility?
• Dear Stakeholder
• Introduction
• What is CSR?
• The business case for CSR
• The evolution of CSR
• Can a corporation be socially responsible?
• CSR isn’t delivering
• The arguments against CSR
• It’s good to talk?
• The limits of CSR
• What would a socially responsible company look like?
• Why do we buy it?
• Conclusion
• References

Will the regulatory Bill work?.

“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.”
Thomas Edison (1847–1931)
American inventor and businessman

Training in eye movement can reduce road accidents – Yahoo! India News.

“It has been said that too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” — Maggie Daley

CCMTA – Road Safety Vision (RSV) 2010.

The National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board Bill, 2010

The National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board Bill, 2010 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on May 4, 2010 by the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Kamal Nath.  The Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, which is scheduled to submit its report within two months.

The Bill seeks to establish a National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board for the development and regulation of road safety, traffic management system and safety standards in highway design and construction.

The Board shall consist of a Chairperson and five members appointed by the central government on the recommendation of a Selection Committee.  The term shall be five years.  The Chairperson shall have professional knowledge of administration and road transport.  Members shall have experience in road design, automobile engineering, accident investigation, traffic management and trauma care.

The functions of the Board include (a) recommending minimum standards for design, construction and maintenance of national highways, (b) recommending minimum standards for trauma and para-medical facilities for traffic related injuries on the national highway, and (c) conduct safety audits to monitor compliance with the standards notified by the central government.  It shall also recommend minimum safety standards for manufacture of mechanically propelled vehicles and other types of vehicles, recommend minimum conditions of safety such as specifying the maximum load bearing and capacity limits, recommend standards for vehicular traffic on the national highways (speed lanes, right of way), conduct research on road safety and management, establish procedure for data collection, involve non-government organizations in promotion of road safety, and provide for special requirement of women, children and senior citizens.

The Board may constitute an Advisory Committee of a maximum of 31 members in order to represent the interests of road users, construction industry, transport industry, and automobile manufacturers.  The Committee shall advise the Board on questions of policy, road safety, and protection of road users interest.

The National Road Safety and Traffic Management Fund shall be created by crediting one per cent of the cess on diesel and gasoline under the Central Road Fund Act, 2000; any grants and loans made by the central government; and any sum received by the Board from other sources to be prescribed by the central government.

Any person who fails to comply with the standards of design or construction of highway or mechanically propelled vehicles as notified by the central government shall be liable to a fine of upto Rs 10 lakh, with an additional penalty if the person continues to commit the offence.  Any person who willfully fails to furnish information or furnishes false information shall be liable to be fined upto Rs 1,000 and an additional penalty on subsequent offence.

A court can take cognizance of an offence only on complaint made by the Board.  Only a Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or a Chief Judicial Magistrate can try an offence under this Act.

The central government has the power to supersede the Board under prescribed conditions for a maximum period of six months.

Kaushiki Sanyal

via PRS | Bill Track | Transport / Tourism / Urban development | The National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board Bill, 2010.

The National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board Bill, 2010 | India Environment Portal.

The National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board Bill, 2010 | India Environment Portal.

SOMETHING is rotten in the state of Venezuela: over 2,300 container-loads (and counting) of decomposing food, imported by the government last year and never distributed. The scandal is particularly embarrassing for President Hugo Chávez, since it comes amid growing shortages of basic foodstuffs in state-run grocery chains. But rather than rethink his statist food and agriculture policy, the president has declared “economic war” on the private sector.

The cargoes came to light last month when state intelligence agents were investigating the theft of powdered milk. The government admits that 30,000 tonnes of food are rotting in the port of Puerto Cabello alone. Opposition media put the total so far at over 75,000 tonnes, or around a fifth of what PDVAL, the state company responsible, imported in 2009. The company’s former president, Luis Pulido, has been arrested for corruption and up to 20 other officials may suffer the same fate.

PDVAL is a subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, the state oil giant. It was created in 2008, in an oblique recognition that another state-run food chain, Mercal, was failing to do its job. PDVAL’s grandiose objective is to achieve “full food sovereignty” and to stamp out what Mr Chávez claims is “hoarding and smuggling” by the private sector. Since 2003, the government has imposed price controls on many foodstuffs. In that year the government defeated a business-led strike which came close to paralysing the economy. The private sector has since faced mounting harassment.

The results have been persistent shortages and soaring inflation: the price of food and drink rose by 21% in the first five months of 2010, according to the Central Bank. Elías Jaua, the vice-president, this week blamed inflation on “speculators [linked to] political interests seeking destabilisation as part of a campaign strategy”, before a legislative election in September.

Basic goods are scarcer in Mercal and PDVAL shops than in private supermarkets, according to a survey by Datanálisis, a polling company. But the government is stepping up expropriations of farms, food manufacturers and distributors, in a bid to achieve what it calls state “hegemony” over the food supply. On June 7th it announced the takeover of 18 more food companies accused of violating regulations.

All eyes are now on Empresas Polar, a family-owned giant that is Venezuela’s biggest private food-and-drink company. Polar, which claims to generate almost 3% of the country’s non-oil GDP and has 19,000 employees, complains of harassment. It says its plants and offices were visited 220 times by government inspectors in the first five months of this year. In late May, the government confiscated 114 tonnes of food from a Polar warehouse, alleging hoarding (which the company denies).

Mr Chávez has often threatened Lorenzo Mendoza, Polar’s billionaire chairman, with expropriation. But as the rotting food shows, his government is better at destroying the existing order than at creating a viable alternative. Some 70% of Venezuela’s food is now imported, which generates ample opportunities for graft. Most of the farms and food companies the president has expropriated suffer from inflated payrolls, declining productivity and rampant inefficiency. His threats against Polar are rejected by a well-paid and loyal workforce. The company is one of the biggest remaining obstacles to the installation of Cuban-style communism in Venezuela. But to seize it now might well lose Mr Chávez the legislative election. As Venezuelans say “love, with hunger, doesn’t last.”

The Economist Newspaper | The Americas

via Venezuelan socialism: Food fight | The Economist.